Ive been an alcoholic for ten years… I am currently 21 days sober… I have not yet been to an AA meeting. Is this something I need to do?
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https://talkingsober.com/t/why-should-i-go-to-a-meeting/45828
21 days is a great start!
I tried moderation for years (and failed), then I tried to stop on my own and could not. The link above talks about why meetings are essential for me. There are those here who stay sober without working a recovery program. I just couldn’t, no matter how much I wanted to. For me, going to AA is the best decision I ever made.
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Congratulations on your time! An alcoholic sober for one day is a miracle!
I have been a member of AA for about 16 months now. My life has changed entirely as a direct result of my involvement in the fellowship of AA and as a result of practicing the 12 steps of the program. I can speak from experience that I tried to stay sober my own way for a number of years and after countless vain attempts I finally rolled into an AA meeting. My life hasn’t been the same since. I strongly encourage you to check out a meeting and I promise if you are an alcoholic like me, you will never regret it. Find a meeting in your area, give it a try. If you hear even one single thing you can relate with, I encourage you to keep coming back to meetings. Find a sponsor. Read our literature. And prepare for your life to change in ways that you wouldn’t even be able to imagine.
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Awesome job! I’m a little 6 months over. I haven’t been able to work myself into going yet. A friend of my in laws has been sober for 27 years and went to AA for about 20. So I talk to him when I need to. He’s also offered to go with me the 1st time, just to have someone there I know. With the feelings I’ve been having lately i figure I’ll take him up on the offer. But calling him is what’s working for me right now.
Good luck!
Also, please keep us updated if you go and how it went!
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Congratulations on 21 days! That’s great. It was definitely hardest for me in the beginning. I’m just over four years sober now and I’ve never been to AA. I’ve also never done Smart, or any other program. I’ve read a lot books and articles on the subject of addiction and spent the last four years working on my own issues: determining why I was drinking and then changing my behavior and my thinking. I’m a work in progress. I don’t think there’s any “one size fits all” solution. AA is a great option for many people. There is a very vocal AA crew here but there are others of us who have maintained our sobriety in other ways. Sounds like you’re off to a great start.
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In my experience, whatever you do only works if you work it. Everyday. One at a time.
I’ve relapsed in the past after not sticking to the program I was given. This time around I went to AA. It’s working for me. There is also Rational Recovery, SMART, cognitive behavioral therapy, Refuge Recovery, intensive outpatient…
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I think sobriety looks different to everyone. We’re all on a unique sober journey. But, if it’s calling to you, even making you curious…I figure you might as well look into it just to find out for yourself 
️
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Congrats on 21 days! That’s a great achievement!
Im around 41 days into my sobriety and have not explored AA yet, but I want to because I drink depsite knowing it’s bad for me and knowing I am hurting everyone around me, but I still do it and I don’t know why. I think AA might give me some insight as to why and give me the tools to cope with it.
The alternative to a program, is will power. I don’t think I can rely on will power alone for much longer.
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